Kowal is a dog’s best friend, By Ginny Raue “It came to me that every time I lose a dog that they take a piece of my heart with them. And every new dog who comes into my life gifts me with a piece of their heart. If I live long enough, all the components of my heart will be dog, and I will become as generous and loving as they are.” (Author unknown) The above quotation on the Doggie Clubhouse Web site speaks to Dory Kowal’s heart. It also defines her and her chosen profession. Kowal, 48, was a young child when she began her love affair with canine companions. Her mother was a dog trainer and obedience competitor and Kowal was always at her side. Originally from Mahwah and Elmwood Park, Dory married Glenn Kowal in 1985 and the couple moved to Hewitt in 1994. Over the years she worked part-time in dog training but, she said, while it was her passion, it did not pay the bills. The couple owned a trucking company and warehouse in Port Kearny for 20 years. Upon retirement from that occupation Kowal got back to her first love, this time training dog owners and future dog trainers. She next teamed up with Roy Carlisle and John Soares, two well-recognized breeders and trainers. They opened the Doggie Clubhouse on the Warwick Turnpike in Upper Greenwood Lake in March and Kowal became manager of the new business. Over the years Kowal has continued her studies. She is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer and has earned certificates from the American Kennel Club, the Animal Behavior College, the American Red Cross, and FEMA for Animals in Disaster, Awareness and Preparedness, to name a few. Kowal believes that the sooner a dog is trained, as early as nine weeks old when they can attend Puppy Kindergarten, the better the outcome for all. Problems can be prevented and the owner learns to understand their pet. “Understanding how to communicate with your dog is most important. Once you understand how a dog thinks, it’s easy to train them,” she said. Older dogs do well with training too, taking an agility course, for example. She believes that dogs simply get bored being cooped up in the house or back yard all day. Many different venues are offered for all breeds at the Doggie Clubhouse. More mature dogs can also make great therapy dogs and they can be trained and certified with their owner as a team. Kowal can attest to the satisfaction one gets during therapy visits, watching the joy and stimulation that the dog brings to a patient. “I love sharing my dogs. I get rewarded because someone loves my dogs and the dogs love the attention,” she said. In Kowal’s opinion, the easiest dogs to train, and the most intelligent of breeds, are rottweilers, dobermans, border collies, German shepherds, labradors and golden retrievers. The less cerebral breeds also do well with training and their owners learn their pet’s limitations. Through the years, as Kowal went from one profession to another, she also opened her heart and home to children in need. The couple acted as foster parents to a total of 10 children, often to multiple siblings. The Kowals realized that the optimum outcome would be family reunification and faced the difficult separation when the time came. “It was rewarding, but heartbreaking,” she said. When Kowal has some free time she likes spending it with - no surprise here- her dogs. They go hiking and swimming and she enjoys their child-like inquisitiveness. “They make me appreciate things more because they live in the moment,” she said. With so many canines coming in and out of her life, Kowal’s heart is likely to one day be all dog. She submitted a favorite recipe.